The President of China, Xi Jinping, on side line of the G20 Summit, confronted the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, over the leakage of their meeting to the press.
Xi expressed anger against Trudeau, protesting that details of their meeting the previous day had been leaked to the press by government sources.
The two leaders were caught on camera having a heated discussion at the global summit in Bali, Xi talking harshly to the Canadian Prime Minister, complaining how details of an earlier meeting between them, were leaked to the press by Canadian government sources.
The planned meeting between Rishi Sunak and Xi was, thereafter, called off, hours after the new prime minister was urged not to ‘go soft’ on the Chinese president.
Canadian sources had reported that Trudeau raised ‘serious concerns’ with Xi over suspected domestic interference by China during their first talks together in more than three years.
“But Xi, trying to mask his anger with a pointed smile, was filmed by Canadian journalists telling an increasingly awkward-looking Trudeau: ‘Everything that we discussed yesterday has been leaked to the papers and that’s not appropriate.’
“A stunned Trudeau, almost at a loss for words, just nodded as Xi continued his rant through a translator. The Chinese President looked pointedly at Trudeau and added: ‘And that’s not the way the conversation was conducted.’
“Trudeau, knowing that details of his meeting with Xi had been leaked by his Canadian government sources, did not address the Chinese President’s concerns and instead gave a hapless response.
“Well in Canada, we believe in free and open and frank dialogue, which we will continue to have…
“We will continue to look to work constructively together but there will be things that we will disagree on.’
“While Trudeau spoke, Xi looked frustrated and refrained from making eye contact with the Canadian Prime Minister,” a report highlighted.